The mother of a 15-year-old boy from California has filed a lawsuit against online gaming platforms Roblox and Discord, alleging that her son was groomed and coerced into sending explicit images on the apps before tragically taking his own life.
NBC News reports that Rebecca Dallas, the mother of Ethan Dallas, has filed a lawsuit in San Francisco County Superior Court, accusing Roblox and Discord of “recklessly and deceptively operating their business in a way that led to the sexual exploitation and suicide” of her son. According to the complaint, Ethan started playing on Roblox around the age of 9 with his parents’ approval and parental controls in place. However, when he was 12, he was allegedly targeted by an adult sexual predator who posed as a child on the platform and befriended him.
The lawsuit claims that the conversation between Ethan and the predator gradually escalated to sexual topics and explicit exchanges. The man then encouraged Ethan to turn off parental controls and move their conversations to Discord, where he increasingly demanded explicit photographs and videos, threatening to share the images if Ethan did not comply. The complaint states that Ethan complied out of fear and was permanently harmed by these experiences, ultimately leading to his suicide at the age of 15 in April 2024.
The lawsuit accuses Roblox and Discord of wrongful death, fraudulent concealment and misrepresentations, negligent misrepresentation, and strict liability. It argues that if the companies had taken steps to screen users, implement age and identity verification, and other safety measures, Ethan would have never interacted with the predator and suffered the harm that led to his death.
Rebecca Dallas believed that both platforms were safe for her son to use to communicate with friends while gaming, given how the apps marketed themselves and the parental controls she set. However, the suit claims that Roblox allowed Ethan to turn off the parental controls, and Discord allowed him to create an account and communicate with adults without any parental oversight.
The complaint alleges that the design of the apps “makes children easy prey for pedophiles” due to a lack of safeguards and predator screening. It also states that while Roblox’s default settings now do not allow adults to directly message children under the age of 13, children can still create accounts with fake birth dates, giving them full access to direct-messaging options.
Breitbart News recently reported that Roblox is facing a lawsuit over child safety filed by Louisiana AG Liz Murrill (R):
In a scathing lawsuit filed on Thursday, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill alleged that Roblox has created an environment where sexual predators can “thrive, unite, hunt and victimize kids” due to the platform’s lack of effective safety protocols. The suit, filed in state court, claims that Roblox prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over the safety of its child users.
Murrill stated, “Due to Roblox’s lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana. Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety.”
Discord and Roblox are both named in a previous lawsuit based on a similar grooming case that fortunately did not end in suicide:
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff joined Roblox and Discord in 2023 after his father researched the platforms and believed they were safe for children. However, the minor soon received a direct message from a stranger soliciting nude photos. Initially declining, the plaintiff eventually sent a shower video and a full-frontal nude photo to the predator in exchange for Roblox gift cards worth $10 each.
The following day, the lawsuit states, the predator offered a $100 gift card in exchange for sex and a $25 gift card for a photo of the minor’s buttocks. Discord banned the plaintiff after he attempted to send the requested photo, but communication between the plaintiff and the alleged predator continued via text and email. The plaintiff disclosed his home address and arranged to meet the predator. When the plaintiff failed to show up, the predator threatened him, leading the plaintiff’s parents to discover the text messages and involve the police. Authorities believe the alleged predator exploited at least 26 other children through online platforms including Discord and Roblox.
Discord is also in the spotlight over its use by alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson and his friends to communicate about the crime.
Read more at NBC News here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
